Plan your Inner Mongolia tour? 500 km north of Beijing, Ulan Butong is a typical hilly grassland perched on the high lands (Bashang) between the remaining hills of the Greater Xing’an Range and the Yinshan Mountains.
Wulan Butong Grassland is located about 500 km north of Beijing ( Google Map)
The Ulan Butong Grassland is one of the most ideal destinations for summer vacation and fall foliage. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of the stretch of grasslands as well as riding horses freely on the grassland.
Ulan Butong Grassland has rich variety of plants, countless colorful wild flowers, and limpid lakes, an ideal place for landscape photography tour.
Sunset and Sunrise at Jiangjun Pond
“Jiangjun” literally means “General”, named after General Tong Guogang who gave his life here on the battle field during the fight against Galdan Boshugtu Khan in Qing Dynasty ( 1644 – 1911 ).
Qing Emperor Kangxi personally commanded a successful battle against Galdan Boshugtu Khan.
Sunset at Jiangjun Pond
Jiangjun Pond is surrounded by the hills on its four sides, with dense reeds and water weeds, now a good spot for sunset and sunrise shooting.
Sunrise at Jiangjun Pond
Sheep, Horse and Oxen at Huagulutai
On the north of Wulan Butong Township (also locally known as Hongshan Army Horse Farm), Huagulutai is a vast and green valley with dense grasslands for the herding of sheep, horses and oxen.
Grazing Sheep
On a summit of the hill overlooking the valley, you have the photogenic opportunity to shoot the cattle on the grassland below your eyes.
Walking Horses
Sheep, Horse and Oxen at Donggou
As its name suggests, “Donggou”, the East Gully”, is on the east of Wulan Butong Township, also a favorite place for photographers.
Horses grazing on the hilly grassland
Standing on the top of the hill overlooking the gullies circling the hill, you are bestowed with the photogenic opportunities to shooting the sunset and returning sheep or oxen.
Returning Oxen
Early Morning Fogs at Wulan Butong Film and TV Studio
Nicknamed as “Grassland Film City”, Wulanbutong Film and TV Studio is a well-known film and TV production base both at home and abroad.
It sits on the expansive grassland with curving and undulating hills.
Early Morning Magical Fog
An incomplete estimate shows that in the past 10 years there are over 60 films and TV series produced here. With each film or TV finished, leaves one rock engraved with its name.
Beside its leisure and recreational functions in the absence of non-film-shooting time, this is a popular place for shooting the magical and mesmerizing fog scene.
Early morning it has the big chance to be covered by heavy and white clouds flying like white silk white silk scarves due to its featuring geological formations, a favorite spot for photography enthusiasts.
Birch Trees
Birch trees are a landscaper’s prize specimen. They have the attractive qualities such as colored bark, graceful branches and gorgeous fall foliage.
Birch Tree and Wild Flowers
Wulan Butong Grassland is dotted with birch trees growing on the water’s edges or in a birch forest, attracting a growing number of photography enthusiasts.
Birch Trees Growing on water edges
Wild Flowers
Ulan Butong Grassland is also a big warehouse of flowers throughout centuries as there are more than 300 kinds of flowers or herbs with extremely high medicinal value to be found here including the golden-needle flower and canary creeper.
Shooting Wild Flowers on Wulanbutong Grassland
Galloping Horse
Horse are beautiful creatures and one of the most amazing animals to take photographs of. Having beautiful pictures of horses is a dream for every photographer.
Galloping Horses on Jiangjun Pond
Ulan Butong Grassland offers many photogenic opportunities for galloping horse shooting.
A galloping white horse
Wulan Butong Grassland in Autumn Hues
Wulan Butong Grassland is a mecca for viewing fall colour. The best time for fall foliage starts from early October to mid-October. Just get your eyes and camera ready for a fantastic view of the autumn hues on the hilly grassland.
Follow us to have an autumn virtual tour of Wulan Butong Grassland.
Wulan Butong Grassland in Autumn
Wulan Butong Grassland in fall colors
Leaf Peeping at Wulan Butong Grassland
Autumn Leaves on Wulan Butong Grassland
The horses are enjoying the fall season
A foggy morning under the sunrise glow
The Sunrise glow over Wulan Butong Grassland
Ulan Butong Grassland in Winter
If you come to Wulan Butong Grassland in winter, you will see a completely different world, a fairytale white wonderland with stunning view!
Wulan Butong Grassland covered with white blankets and soft rime
Otherworldly white landscape
Sunset over the white wonderland
Horses galloping on the snowy grassland
Tip: Hassle-free Inner Mongolia Guided Tours1
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for guided tours to Inner Mongolia:
Plan your Inner Mongolia Tour? In the boundless grassland there is a beautiful city of Chifeng (赤峰), where you will find appealing food, fresh cityscape, queer peaks and troves of ancient relics.
It is worth your exploration for 3-7 days. Chifeng is located in the Eastern Inner Mongolia, an important destination in Eastern Inner Mongolia Tour. Its city center is about 417km northeast of Beijing by road. Daily trains and flights easily bring you from Beijing to Chifeng.
The city centre of Chifeng is about 417km to the northeast of Beijing by road ( Google)
Of course, Chifeng’s administrative region is very large with an area of about 90,000 square km, the size of 5 “Beijing”. I’ve rounded up the top 10 attractions in Chifeng, which could be useful planning your own trip to Chifeng.
Chifeng Major Attraction Road Map ( Google)
1. Wulan Butong Grassland 乌兰布统草原
Wulanbutong Grassland is located on the south of Keshiketeng Qi (Hexigten Banner) in Chifeng. It is opposite Weichang (the Saihanba National Forest Park) in Hebei Province, about 500 km north of Beijing.
Wulanbutong Grassland and the Saihanba National Forest Park used to be the royal hunting ranch ( known as Weichang, or Mulan Paddock ) of the Qing Emperors.
Wulanbutong Grassland boasts the European Style grassland. But its biggest fame mainly comes from the fact that it was the famous battle field where Qing Emperor Kangxi commanded a successful battle against Galdan Boshugtu Khan here in 1690. For more information, see Wulan Butong Grassland.
Entrance Fee: RMB 120 Add: South of Keshiketeng Qi in Chifeng,150km west of Chifeng’s city center and 500km north of Beijing Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn How to Get there: Drive directly from Beijing to Wulan Butong Grassland , or via Chengde or take flights to Chifeng and change for local buses to Wulan Butong.
2. Dalinur Lake 达里诺尔湖
Established as Dali Nur National Nature Reserve in 1997, Dali Nur is the second largest lake in Inner Mongolia, one of the three swan lakes in China with other two being Bayinbuluk Lake in Xinjiang and Panyang Lake in Jiangxi. The nature reserve has an area of 1200 square km aimed at protecting rare birds and their habitat such as lakes, wetland, grassland, deserts and forest.
The lake is located on the southwest of Gong Geer Grassland, 90km to the west of Jingpeng Town in Hexigten Banner (Keshiketeng Qi), 300km to the north of Chifeng, 680km to the north of Beijing. Dali Lake is an enclosed half salty lake with an area of 240 square kilometers and an average depth of 10-13 meters. For more information, see Dalinur Lake.
Entrance Fee: RMB 70 Add: On the southwest of Gong Geer Grassland, 300km north of Chifeng and 680km north of Beijing Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn How to Get there
First take the overnight trains from Beijing North Railway Station to Chifeng, then from Chifeng, you take a long-distance bus to Jingpeng Town where you hire a van or jump onto a local coach for Dali Lake in Hexigten Banner ( Keshiketeng Qi ).
You can also drive directly from Beijing to the Dalinur Lake, a 680km road trip passing by Zhangjiakou.
3. Asihatu Stone Forest 阿斯哈图石林
sihatu Stone Forest, also known as Arshihaty Stone Forest (阿斯哈图石林), is an integrated part of China Hexigten World Geopark (克什克腾世界地质公园), one of the UNESCO Global Geoparks in Keshiketeng Banner (aka Hexigten Banner or Keshiketeng Q) under the jurisdiction of Chifeng.
It is located 140 km to the north of Jingeng Town (经棚镇) where the People’s government of the Keshiketeng Banner (克什克腾旗 Hexigten Banner ) , 380km to the northwest of Chifeng City and 270km to the east of Xilinhot, 720km to the northeast of Beijing by road.
It is one of the eight separate areas of scenic and geologic significance with volcanic, glacial, and desert features in the Hexigten World Geopark. The stone forest is the relics of the Quaternary Glacier, known as the world’s geological wonders, a national AAAA-class scenic spots in China.
Entrance Fee: RMB 140 Add: 380km northwest of Chifeng’s city center Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn How to get there: First take the flight or train to Chifeng City, then from Chifen, hire a vehicle to Asihatu.
4. Gong Geer Grassland 贡格尔草原
Located 35km to the west of Jingpeng Town in Hexigten Banner (Keshiketeng Qi) of Chifeng, the Gong Geer Grassland is well-known as the”Natural Garden” featured by the boundless pasture, numerous flowers, clear waters and roaming hordes, a picturesque prairie.
Its south is linked to Dalinur Lake (Dali Lake) Nature Reserve. Gong Geer Grassland has numerous lakes of various sizes. It is an important wetland in China. For more information, see Gong Geer Grassland.
Entrance Fee: Free Add: 35km to the west of Jingpeng Town in Hexigten Banner (Keshiketeng Qi) of Chifeng Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn How to get there: The trains from Chifeng go to Beijing, Hohhot, Shenyang and Jinzhou. Daily flights link Chifeng to Beijing and Hohhot. In Chifeng, connect the long-distance buses to Keshiketeng Qi (Hexigten) where you hire a local van or bus to the Gong Geer Grassland.
5. Baiyin’aobao National Nature Reserve 白音敖包
Located in the northwest of Keshiketeng Qi and linked to Gong Geer Grassland, it is a beautiful nature reserve mainly for protecting the sandy spruce forest rare in the world.
The sandy spruce trees look like pagodas with red trucks and green leaves, ever-green trees. “Baiyin Aobao” means “wealthy mountains”, one of the five most famous “Aobao” in Inner Mongolia, a holy place for local herders for sacrificial activities.
Baiyin’aobao National Nature Reserve
Entrance Fee: RMB40 Add: 75km to the northwest of Jingpeng Town in Hexigten Banner (Keshiketeng Qi) of Chifeng Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn How to get there: The trains from Chifeng go to Beijing, Hohhot, Shenyang and Jinzhou. Daily flights link Chifeng to Beijing and Hohhot. In Chifeng, connect the long-distance buses to Keshiketeng Qi (Hexigten) where you hire a local van or bus to Baiyin Aobao National Nature Reserve
6. Hongshan National Forest Park 红山国家森林公园
Hongshan Park (Red Mountain Park) is the only man-made forest park in China. It is located on the bank of Yingjin River in the northeast of Hongshan District in Chifeng.
The park is mainly divided into 6 parts – Red Mountain Section, Mulanci Section, Yulong Ranch Section, Folk Landscape Section, Beilongxie Section ( Stela, Pavilions and Corridors ) and Forest Section with 57 smaller attractions.
The biggest attraction is Hongshan (Red Mountain). The city of Chifeng literally means “Red Peak”, named after the Red Mountain (Hongshan). Hongshan features the red stones of weird shapes. Hongshan ( Red Mountain) is the symbol of Chifeng, also one of the craddle of civilizations in China. The Red Mountain Culture advances China’s civilization to 1000 year back.
Hongshan National Forest Park
Entrance Fee: free Add: Just in the north of Chifeng downtown Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn How to get there: The trains from Chifeng go to Beijing, Hohhot, Shenyang and Jinzhou. Daily flights link Chifeng to Beijing and Hohhot. In Chifeng, connect the long-distance buses to Keshiketeng Qi (Hexigten) where you hire a local van or bus to Baiyin Aobao National Nature Reserve
7. Bolongke Desert Tourist Area 勃隆克沙漠旅游区
Bolongke Desert Tourist Area is located 120km north of Chifeng’s city center. It is a destination nearest to Beijing, Tianjin, which comprises desert, grassland, queer rocks, lakes and primeval forest. Bolongke Desert Tourist Area is a good place to experience natural landscapes and Mongolian folk customs.
Three special zones are built in the tourist area including Sightseeing, Entertainment and Eco Construction Model which comprise such items as horse racing, archery, gliding, sand slide, yartch, canoe, swimming, water games and camel exploration.
Bolongke Desert Tourist Area
Entrance Fee: RMB15 Add: Chaogewendu Country, Wengniute Qi, Chifeng Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn How to get there: The trains from Chifeng go to Beijing, Hohhot, Shenyang and Jinzhou. Daily flights link Chifeng to Beijing and Hohhot. In Chifeng, connect the long-distance buses to Keshiketeng Qi (Hexigten) where you hire a local van or bus to Bolongke Desert Tourist Area.
8. Chifeng Mantuo Mountain Villa曼陀山庄
Mantuo Mountain Villar or Mantuo Resort is located on the same name mountain called Mantuoshan or Mantuo Mountain in the southern Dalinur Lake area. The entrance ticket for Dalinur Lake also covers Mantuo Villa and Mantuo Mountain.
The Mantuoshan ( Mantuo Mountain ) is the best place for taking a panoramic view of Dalinur Lake, Hunshanda Desert, sunrise or sunset. You can choose to climb up to the mountain top of Mantuoshan or just drive up to the top.
The Villa itself is famous for its ancient and elegant landscape and rich civilization, known as the No.01 Village North of the Great Wall of China. It is a reaort featuring accommodation, travel, shopping, gym and meetings.
Mantuo Villa of Chifeng
Entrance Fee: A through ticket with Dalinur Lake (RMB70） Add: In the south of Dalinur Lake Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn How to get there: The trains from Chifeng go to Beijing, Hohhot, Shenyang and Jinzhou. Daily flights link Chifeng to Beijing and Hohhot. In Chifeng, connect the long-distance buses to Keshiketeng Qi (Hexigten) where you hire a local van or bus to Mantuo Villa.
9. Palace of the Prince of Ka La Qin 喀喇沁亲王府
The Palace of the Prince Ka La Qin is located 70km south of Chifeng and 150km northesat of Chengde. It was the former residence of Gongsannurbu, the outstanding stateman and reformer in Mongolia.
It has been turned into a museum known as The Palace Museum of Kalaqin Banner. It was originally built in 1679 in the town known as Wang Ye Township of Kalaqin Qi ( Kalaqin Banner ). There were totally 12 Kalaqin Princes who took power successively. It is the earliest, largest prince palace in Inner Mongolia.
Palace of the Prince of Ka La Qin
Entrance Fee: RMB50 Add: 70km south of Chifeng and 150km northest of Chengde. Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn How to get there: First go to Chende or Chifeng by train or bus, then connect local buses for Palace of the Prince of Kalaqin
10. Yulong Sand Lake Tourist Area 玉龙沙湖
Yulong Sand Lake is located in the region of Wengniute Banner ( 翁牛特旗), is a national AAA attraction known as Yulong Sand Lake Tourist Area.
The “The First Dragon in China” famous both at home and abroad was unearthed here. The Yulong Sand Lake area is a comprehensive tourist zone integrating prairies, deserts, lakes, hills and the Mongolian customs.
Yulong Sand Lake
The most unique part is the desert, sand lake, sand pine and resonant sand. Yulong sand lake is part of the Horqin sandy land (Keerqin Snad land), known as “eight-hundred mile sand sea”.
Entrance fee: RMB40 Best Visit Time: Summer and Autumn Tel: 0476-6328453 Location: Within the region of Wengniute Banner, 105 km north of Chifeng city.
If you don’t want go the daunting do-it-yourself-route and prefer an organized hassle-free private tour to visit Xanadu and other parts of Inner Mongolia, no worry and we have the following options:
Gong Geer Grassland (贡格尔草原) is located 35km to the west of the Jingpengzhen (or Jingpeng Town 经棚镇), the seat of Hexigten Banner（(克什克腾旗） in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia.
The location of Gong Geer Grassland (Goolge)
The Gong Geer Grassland is reputed as the”Natural Garden” epitomized by the boundless pasture, numerous flowers, clear waters and roaming hordes, a picturesque grassland.
Its west is linked to Dalinur Lake (Dali Lake) Nature Reserve. Gong Geer Grassland has numerous lakes of various sizes.
The Gong Geer Grassland occupies the area of 320,000 hectares, a spectrum of natural landscape, ethnic minority customs, cultural landscape, places of historical interest and grassland culture as well as a mecca for photography fans.
Best to Visit Gong Geer Grassland
Each year the time from July and August is the best period to visit Gong Geer Grassland. The boundless pasture is rife with wild flowers, crisscrossed by plentiful clear rivers and accompanied by numerous singing birds.
Gong Geer Grassland
People come here feeling as if they were in a huge natural garden, fully enjoying the boon given by the nature, a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the cities and the trivials in our daily life, and making our bodies and souls spread out in the pure grassland and extending further.
The Gong Geer Grassland has about 20 lakes of various sizes with Dalinur Lake being the largest. Dalinur Lake (Dali Lake) is the second largest lake in Inner Mongolia, one of the three swan lakes in China with other two being Bayinbuluk Lake in Xinjiang and Panyang Lake in Jiangxi.
Gong Geer Grassland
Now the DalinurLake has been set as a national nature reserve with an area of 1200 square km aimed at protecting rare birds and their habitat such as lakes, wetland, grassland, deserts and forest.
How to get to Gong Geer Grassland
Well, basically the city proper of Chifeng is the springboard for entering the Gong Geer Grassland. The grassland is about 265km to the northwest of Chifen city and 500km to the north of Beijing.
The trains from Chifeng run to Beijing, Hohhot, Shenyang and Jinzhou. Daily flights connect Chifeng to Beijing and Hohhot.
Then take the long-distance buses from Chifeng to Keshiketeng Qi (Hexigten) where you rent a local van or bus to the Gong Geer Grassland and Dalinur Lake or continue to drive along the north route and get to Baiyin’aobao National Nature Reserve which is a beautiful nature reserve mainly for protecting the sandy spruce forest rare in the world. Further extend to the Asihatu Stone Forest.
Where to stay on the Gong Geer Grassland
You may stay overnight at the Jingpeng Town, 35km to the west of the Gong Geer Grassland. In Jingpeng Town, you have more chances to select your hotel. Or you may put up at night in a tent in the Gong Geer Grassland or at the Dalinur Lake.
Many local restaurants in Jingpeng Town offers many choices with smiling faces. You just sit down for a cup of milk tea and enjoy local flavors like dried beef, roasted whole sheep and fish feast and many more. You also can stay overnight in a yurt by the river.
If you don’t want go the daunting do-it-yourself-route and prefer an organized hassle-free private tour to visit Xanadu and other parts of Inner Mongolia, no worry and we have the following options:
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